Azerbaijani cuisine is a vibrant tapestry of flavors and textures, offering a delightful array of dishes that will leave you yearning for more. With an enticing selection of pilafs, fresh herbs, seasonal vegetables, succulent kebabs, hearty soups, flavorful sauces, and tempting snacks, dining in Azerbaijan is an experience that will capture your heart and palate. Even the lightest fare can be surprisingly filling, making it a challenge for many travelers to leave a meal unfinished.
Azerbaijan boasts an impressive repertoire of over 30 distinct soup varieties, ranging from rich meat broths packed with vegetables to tangy sour milk soups featuring dumplings, grains, herbs, beans, and even dried fruits.
Among these, piti stands out as a unique dish, prepared by boiling individual servings in separate clay pots. This hearty soup combines tender lamb and chickpeas with cherry plums, an assortment of vegetables, and aromatic seasonings.
Another beloved option is dushbara, a dumpling soup made with a savory broth created from boiling lamb bones. The mutton is minced and expertly stuffed into delicate dumplings, creating a comforting and satisfying dish.
Dovga, a popular vegetarian choice, is enjoyed hot during winter and chilled in summer. This refreshing soup features fermented dairy products like matsoni yogurt or kefir as its base, enriched with eggs and flour for a creamy consistency. Boiled chickpeas and rice add substance, while a medley of chopped parsley, cilantro, mint, and spinach enhances the flavor before serving.
For a lighter option, try umach, a flavorful soup made by mixing beaten eggs with salt water, creating sticky pieces of dough that are then cooked in a fragrant broth of fried onions, saffron, and mint.
Meat plays a central role in Azerbaijani cuisine, with an extensive variety of kebabs, cutlets, pilafs, and other meat dishes waiting to be savored.
Local kebabs are typically crafted from tender meat sourced from young ewes, known for their low cholesterol and rich flavor. The salted meat is marinated in mineral water, wine vinegar, and pepper, before being skewered alongside chunks of tail fat to keep it juicy during grilling. These delectable kebabs are traditionally served with hot bread and tangy pickled onions.
Kourma khingal is a special Azerbaijani dish featuring mutton stewed with sautéed onions. A dough made from flour, eggs, and water is rolled out and cut into diamond-shaped pieces known as khingals. After boiling, the khingals are drizzled with oil and served with the cooked lamb, garnished with bread and sprinkled with grated cheese, accompanied by garlic yogurt or matsoni.
Don’t miss the tender kufta cutlets, simmered in a spiced broth; the delightful dolma, which consists of cabbage or grape leaf rolls; and hamrashi, a robust soup featuring mutton meatballs, red beans, and thin noodles.
Azerbaijani poultry dishes are both original and satisfying, making them a staple in local cuisine.
Be sure to try chikhirtma, a dish featuring large pieces of boiled chicken that are lightly fried. The chicken is served with a savory sauce made from stewed onions, tomatoes, and beaten eggs, garnished with fresh herbs.
Azerbaijani poultry dishes often showcase whole chickens or wild game. The bird is seasoned with salt and pepper, skewered, and then either baked in a traditional clay tandoor oven or grilled over an open flame. It is typically served with a creamy garlic sauce.
Azerbaijani fish dishes are diverse, with options that can be fried, stuffed, formed into cutlets, baked in a tandoor, or wrapped in grape leaves for a delightful fish dolma. Common varieties include salmon, sturgeon, carp, kutum, and stellate sturgeon.
Some renowned Azerbaijani fish dishes include:
The most common bread in Azerbaijan is churek, a flatbread enjoyed at breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Made from wheat flour, vegetable oil, yeast, sesame seeds, and salt, churek is traditionally baked in a tandoor oven, resulting in a delightful crust and soft interior that perfectly complements any meal.
Another savory street food to try is qutab, a crescent-shaped pastry filled with a variety of ingredients such as spinach, meat, cheese, onions, or even pomegranate seeds. Cooked on a griddle, qutab is typically served hot and makes for a delicious snack or light meal.
Cigarette borek consists of delicate rolls of dough usually stuffed with cheese, though variations filled with herbs, potatoes, minced meat, or fish are also popular. These crispy pastries are a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
For a hearty snack, indulge in chiburek, a fried pastry filled with a savory mixture of meat, coriander, onions, and parsley. This delicious treat is perfect for satisfying your cravings.
Pilaf is the crown jewel of Azerbaijani cuisine, serving as the national dish and a staple food throughout the country. With over 200 distinct varieties of Azerbaijani pilaf (known as plov), many of which are prepared in unique and traditional ways, there’s always something new to discover.
One of the most impressive dishes is shah-plov (king’s pilaf), which is cooked encased in a thin layer of bread. When served, the bread is cut open to reveal a steaming mixture of meat, rice, and dried fruits inside, creating a visually stunning and delicious meal.
Another signature dish is toyug pilaf, often reserved for special occasions. This dish features marinated chicken pieces that are fried alongside sautéed onions and a mix of dried fruits such as apricots, raisins, and prunes. The dish is assembled with kazmag—a flatbread made from flour, eggs, and water—layered in a pot greased with melted butter before adding the rice and other ingredients.
Chigirtma pilaf is a popular variation made with chicken, incorporating eggs, eggplant, cherry plums, and saffron for a burst of flavor. Once cooked, melted butter is drizzled over the dish, which is served with fresh herbs and vegetables.
To truly appreciate the culinary richness of Azerbaijani cuisine, one would need an extended stay to sample the myriad types of pilaf available. During your visit, make it a point to try several varieties of this iconic dish.
For those with a sweet tooth, Azerbaijani desserts are sure to delight, often served alongside a steaming cup of tea.
Baklava is perhaps the most famous of Azerbaijani sweets, featuring layers of honey-soaked dough and finely chopped nuts that melt in your mouth.
Shaker churek is a delightful treat made from powdered sugar, melted butter, egg whites, flour, and vanilla. The dough is rolled into small balls, brushed with egg yolk, and baked to perfection.
Baku kurabiye are crumbly biscuits filled with jam, made from flour, butter, egg whites, and powdered sugar, offering a delightful contrast of textures and flavors.
The beverage of choice in Azerbaijan is black tea, known for its invigorating qualities. A single cup can provide a refreshing energy boost, often enhanced with various herbs such as mint, thyme, and lemon balm, along with spices like cinnamon, allspice, and cloves. Unlike many neighboring countries, coffee is not commonly consumed in Azerbaijan.
Iskenjebi is a traditional Azerbaijani drink made from a blend of syrup, honey, and a dash of vinegar. This slightly tangy concoction is perfect for quenching thirst and aids digestion, especially after a heavy meal.
Azerbaijanis also enjoy a variety of fruit drinks, including khoshab (a homemade fruit drink), palud (similar to jelly), gyandab and syalab (fruit and berry beverages), as well as doshab and bekmes (sweet drinks made from beetroot or watermelon juice).
Fermented milk drinks are also prevalent, making excellent companions to Azerbaijani meals. Ayran, a refreshing yogurt-based drink, is particularly popular for its thirst-quenching and satiating properties. Other favorites include tan and atylama, which are sour-salty drinks made from either goat’s or cow’s milk.